Aviva Premiership - Round 16

Table



Fixtures

Fri 11th Mar 16
19:45 Harlequins v  Bath Rugby Twickenham Stoop BT Sport
Both teams are misfiring. Both teams need to win. Both teams struggling at 10. Both teams have been looking as if they do not care. Home advantage should be crucial.


Sat 12th Mar 16
13:45 Wasps  v  Leicester Tigers Ricoh Arena BT Sport
Massive crowd expected as 2nd meet 3rd. Wasps are a real enigma, when they are good they are excellent (see large wins over Toulon, Leinster and Saracens) yet when they are not good they are woeful. Get on top of Wasps up front and their backs can struggle to function. allow the backs space to move and they can dazzle. Not sure Leicester have enough to repeat last seasons win at the Ricoh. especially with the current front row problems.

14:00 Northampton Saints  v  Sale Sharks Franklin's Gardens
Jury still out on whether Saints are starting to discover last seasons league form. Win over leaders Sarries will fill them with confidence, but with key players missing they will need to play at least as well this week. Diamond is getting exasperated by Cipriani's kicking woes - but to win this game they need the spark he provides.

14:00 Worcester Warriors  v   Gloucester Rugby Sixways
The tractor boy derby. Both sides won last week. Both sides inconsistent. Only Mystic Meg can call this.

15:00 Exeter Chiefs  v   Newcastle Falcons Sandy Park
Falcons looked tired and underpowered against Worcester. Unless they improve significantly they could be blown away.

20:00 London Irish  v   Saracens Red Bull Arena BT Sport
Both sides short of form, and neither needs this journey to New York. Whichever team has been able to prepare the best shoudl win.

LondonTiger wrote:20:00 London Irish  v   Saracens Red Bull Arena BT Sport
Both sides short of form, and neither needs this journey to New York. Whichever team has been able to prepare the best should win.

Mate, some of the natives over here on the left side of the Atlantic are touchy about things:  The Sarries-LI match is in New Jersey, not New York.  It is in beautiful (sic) Harrison, NJ, a few miles to the west of the City.  Not sure if it is sell out yet, but I hear sales are doing fine.  Should be a grand day with the forecast to be 15°C/60°F and sun.  Great day to play.  Great day to have a pint and watch some Rugby. Looking forward to it.

Oh, and Saracens and Exeter are now safe from relegation.

Apologies Doc.

Though with Sarries having flown into NYC - easy mistake to make.

Funny.

It is actually the NJ natives who seem to have this complex about not being identified as New Yorkers. From the outside perspective, they are all the same. But please don't tell anyone I said that.........

I wouldn't want to fly into Newark Airport. It seems there are intelligence and personality tests all prospective Newark Airport employees must take. If they fail, they get hired.

I thought your original post was good........

doctor_grey wrote:I thought your original post was good........

Once I found out I had it the wrong way round, changed it. Only ever used NY/NJ airports for transit - so no comments really. I know a few Noo Yawkers who get really upset with people thinking NJ is really NY. Everyone else, including most Merkins, just seem happy to lump them together

With Jamie George potentially ruled out for the rest of the season, Sarries will be glad Schalk Brits ban has just the one week remaining.

Doesn't seem a great idea to have sent him back for game time now

Hindsight is 20/20 and all that

BamBam wrote:Doesn't seem a great idea to have sent him back for game time now

Hindsight is 20/20 and all that

He got injured with England yesterday apparently, so probably made no difference. Does expose our weakness at hooker though - but a discussion for elsewhere.

Jamie George would have missed the match vs LI anyway.

Does leave Saracens very weak at hooker.

LI are playing Saracens at a good time.

No Brits,George,Mako,Itoje,Kruis,Billy,Farrell,Ashton,Taylor.

If Hodgson is still out and Goode is available I would pick Goode at 10, thought he was the best Saracens player against Saints.

doctor_grey

It is the same with the Giants stadium. Most people don't realise that is also actually in NJ and not NY (not that I'm a Giants fan). My ex was from NJ so I know not to make the mistake of lumping them together.

I have flown to both Newark and JFK and yes, definitely would choose JFK, though these days I usually fly to Dulles in DC when I go to the States.

Anyway, back to the weekend. Not too hopeful of a Tigers win anyway but if Ayerza is out then we could be in big trouble, especially when it comes to scrum time. Wasps backline is scary if they get going but an open game would probably also suit Leicester at the moment with our front row troubles and Thacker playing so well, along with the backline starting to click again. We just need to play for more than 60 mins.

Also LondonTiger, sorry to be pedantic but it's 3rd meets 4th at the Ricoh, not 2nd and 3rd.

Goode flying out today B, so will not be as prepared as team-mates who went straight after Saints game

Quins to smash Bath...






... Please

LondonTiger wrote:Table
14:00 Northampton Saints  v  Sale Sharks Franklin's Gardens
Jury still out on whether Saints are starting to discover last seasons league form.

Did the whole world miss our form January to May last year? We were abysmal.

Still topped the table though.

Scottrf wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Table
14:00 Northampton Saints  v  Sale Sharks Franklin's Gardens
Jury still out on whether Saints are starting to discover last seasons league form.

Did the whole world miss our form January to May last year? We were abysmal.

Abysmal, no doubts.  But somehow we managed to cling on and ride it out to the end of the season by the bloody ends of our fingernails.  This whole season has seemed like the second half of last season.  We have lost to the bottom three sides...........  

On the bright side I am sure Prince Harry (future England and Lions captain) will help considerably.

doctor_grey wrote:Funny.  

It is actually the NJ natives who seem to have this complex about not being identified as New Yorkers.  From the outside perspective, they are all the same.  But please don't tell anyone I said that.........

I wouldn't want to fly into Newark Airport.  It seems there are intelligence and personality tests all prospective Newark Airport employees must take.  If they fail, they get hired.

I used to fly to the US 4 or 5 times a year, including about 2 weeks after 9/11 (on a flight path that gave us a view of the wreckage). The 'quality' of the extra security staff they brought in in the aftermath of that event was just stunning. They did get (a lot) better eventually, but those early days/months were just

Fri 11th Mar 16
19:45 Harlequins v Bath Rugby Twickenham Stoop BT Sport
Both teams are misfiring. Both teams need to win. Both teams struggling at 10. Both teams have been looking as if they do not care. Home advantage should be crucial.

Well summarised.

Home advantage will do it for us if we bother to switch on, the stats from last weekend are terrible, we absolutely dominated every facet of play, it wasn't even close. But every time Sale made any approach into our half we gifted them points. Likewise every foray into theirs normally ended with Hopper dropping the ball

15:00 Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons Sandy Park
Falcons looked tired and underpowered against Worcester. Unless they improve significantly they could be blown away.

Not sure I quite agree with that LT. I think we looked sluggish and ponderous. We don't have a huge pack, but they have played well recently by being fast and efficient at the breakdown etc. Against Wuss we were exceptionally poor, slow and just not at the races. Certainly not against a much bigger heavier pack.

I do agree however IF we don't up our pace and efficiency again this weekend, we will be on the end of a tonking!

I suspect they will have had a rocket up their a$$ after Wuss game.

News for Tigers is that Tom Youngs and Jean De Villiers wont make the trip to Coventry. That once again leaves us with Harry Thacker and triallist Van Vurren as our only fit hookers...

In more positive news it sounds like Ayerza and Balmain will be available in the front row (thank **** for that). Matt Tait and Matt Smith should be fit to bolster the backs as well.

Likely line-ups:

Ayerza, Thacker, Balmain/Mulipola, Barrow/Fitz, Kitch, Croft/Williams, McCaffery, Slater
Kitto, Burns, Thompstone, Smith, Betham, Goneva, Tait/Veainu

vs

Mullan, Johnson/Shervington/Festuccia, Cooper-Wooley, Cannon, Myall, Young/Jones, Smith, Hughes
Robson, Gopperth/Jackson, Halai, S Piutau, C Piutau, Wade, Miller

On paper it should be a fantastic game. Two high quality and in-form back three players likely playing outside centre and hoping to run. Both sides should have very exciting back threes outside them as well.

From a Tigers perspective I really do fear that the scrum could ruin us though with all of Ayerza, Mulipola and Balmain currently looking knackered even if they are available. Our TH side especially worries me as Mullan is a terrific scrummager. My one solace in that regard is that we will have a lot of weight and strong scrummagers behind our front row!

GeordieFalcon wrote:I suspect they will have had a rocket up their a$$ after Wuss game.

My goodness. That must have been uncomfortable.

LT what concerns me as much as the scrum is our handling errors which Wasps will gleefully exploit given he opportunity. That and the fact we can't put together and 80 minute display. The Chiefs were there to be put to the sword last week but we let them back into the game, their second try was soft very much so in respect of Bell's attempted tackle.

Only plus sides are that our kick chase looked so much stronger last week and the return of Owen Williams should give us a big tactical and physical boost in the midfield.

JDV and Youngs could be a smoke screen, just in case it's a late fitness test scenario or am I clutching at straws?

Classic Tigers changing the teamsheet on the day of the game...

I wonder if Saracens will do the smart thing and appoint Chris Wyles their captain for the LI match. That would resonate positively with the natives.

doctor_grey wrote:I wonder if Saracens will do the smart thing and appoint Chris Wyles their captain for the LI match.  That would resonate positively with the natives.  

LI to play the pantomime villains and name a Canadian as team captain?

formerly known as Sam wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I wonder if Saracens will do the smart thing and appoint Chris Wyles their captain for the LI match.  That would resonate positively with the natives.  

LI to play the pantomime villains and name a Canadian as team captain?

Do LI have a Canadian?
I know Americans love Canadians. They think everybody should own one.

Jeb Sinclair I think

Hearn and Sinclair both play for Canada and LI.

doctor_grey wrote:I wouldn't want to fly into Newark Airport.  It seems there are intelligence and personality tests all prospective Newark Airport employees must take.  If they fail, they get hired.

I totally agree. Second worst airport in the US behind Chicago O'Hare.

Great news for you (and other rugby fans in the US) this week with NBC Sports purchasing the rights to show the AP for the next 3 years. No mention of Canada, we can only get the NBC main channels up here so I expect we will be stuck with bell end sports unless one of the big sports networks here step up.

doctor_grey wrote:I know Americans love Canadians.  They think everybody should own one.  

Canada - America's Hat as my American friend likes to call it. Although saying that any respect that the Canadians may have once had for the US is quickly evaporating as you play your 'Trump card'.

I always thought Jeb Sinclair seemed a decent AP level player when I've seen him, be it second row or back row. Good squad player to have. Don't know much about Hearn but Wyles for Saracens is obviously class. Smith for Saracens has never looked as good a player since he tried his luck at American Football.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

15:00 Exeter Chiefs  v   Newcastle Falcons Sandy Park
Falcons looked tired and underpowered against Worcester. Unless they improve significantly they could be blown away.

Not sure I quite agree with that LT. I think we looked sluggish and ponderous. We don't have a huge pack, but they have played well recently by being fast and efficient at the breakdown etc. Against Wuss we were exceptionally poor, slow and just not at the races. Certainly not against a much bigger heavier pack.

I do agree however IF we don't up our pace and efficiency again this weekend, we will be on the end of a tonking!

I suspect they will have had a rocket up their a$$ after Wuss game.

I wish they'd chosen a different match to be poor ...

B91212 wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I know Americans love Canadians.  They think everybody should own one.  

Canada - America's Hat as my American friend likes to call it. Although saying that any respect that the Canadians may have once had for the US is quickly evaporating as you play your 'Trump card'.

I always thought Jeb Sinclair seemed a decent AP level player when I've seen him, be it second row or back row. Good squad player to have. Don't know much about Hearn but Wyles for Saracens is obviously class. Smith for Saracens has never looked as good a player since he tried his luck at American Football.

Not 'my' Trump card mate. I can't vote here. I still get to pick from Diaper Dave Cameron or Joint Jeremy Corbyn. The American political landscape is UFB. Almost as deep and Byzantine as the interpretations of the laws of Rugby..............

Drumpf card....

13:45 Wasps v Leicester Tigers Ricoh Arena BT Sport
Massive crowd expected as 2nd meet 3rd.?????????? You are forgetting the Mighty Chiefs and their 5 point advantage

Rosbif : Think he must have had a brain freeze as he even posted the table in the OP.

Funnily enough, the more Drumpf cards that are played, the more "Canadians" there seem to be popping up over there...well that's what it suggests if you look at who wants to move there.

I may have been assuming that Sarries would be docked 20 points?

doctor_grey wrote:I wonder if Saracens will do the smart thing and appoint Chris Wyles their captain for the LI match.  That would resonate positively with the natives.  

Makes a lot of sense afterall Wyles has been USA captain for XVs and 7s too.

Though according to this he has retired from international rugby. Makes sense for him. Looks like he's going to try and get in the 7s team for Rio if USA qualify.

http://usarugby.org/mens-eagles-news/item/chris-wyles-to-retire-from-international-xvs


Sarries also have the big USA lad - Lamositele. Would start him.

Could have potentially 3 USA players in the Sarries line up. Think that's partly why Saracens were chosen by LI as opponents.

It's a LI home game but who will Americans root for?

Theres a lot of Irish folk over there...im guessing LI.

I said who will Americans root for, not the Irish. Talking mainly about Americans with no tenuous link to Ireland. Though I guess we should expect the majority of the crowd of be of Irish links, tenuous or otherwise.

Even Guissepe Giacomo, of the Trenton Giacomo's, views himself as part Irish.

beshocked wrote:I said who will Americans root for, not the Irish. Talking mainly about Americans with no tenuous link to Ireland. Though I guess we should expect the majority of the crowd of be of Irish links, tenuous or otherwise.

It is actually a good question. My club is going in force, running a few buses to the ground (although probably only about 25 miles max from our main ground). As you know, in America there are a lot of people with a drop or two of Irish blood and they usually support Ireland in the Six Nations. My guess is they would support London Irish. The rest are probably going to support Sarries because of the Americans playing there, especially Wyles. This is why I thought it would be a PR coup to name him as captain. In general, I think most people are going simply to see some quality Rugby first hand. And frankly, it is another opportunity for local Rugby clubs to get together in an informal way.

Would suspect the majority of the Americans in New Yorks like to at least pretend they have some Irish in them.

Well they certainly do for st paddys day.

B91212 wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I know Americans love Canadians.  They think everybody should own one.  

Canada - America's Hat as my American friend likes to call it. Although saying that any respect that the Canadians may have once had for the US is quickly evaporating as you play your 'Trump card'.

I always thought Jeb Sinclair seemed a decent AP level player when I've seen him, be it second row or back row. Good squad player to have. Don't know much about Hearn but Wyles for Saracens is obviously class. Smith for Saracens has never looked as good a player since he tried his luck at American Football.

Hearn has probably been our best attacking back this season. Good player.

Welly wrote:Would suspect the majority of the Americans in New Yorks like to at least pretend they have some Irish in them.

Well they certainly do for st paddys day.

Ah well, Saint Patty's day is a celebration for everyone in the New York area. The only holiday dedicated to drinking beer - and simply being social. Who could ask for better?

Hopefully it's a good day for those local rugby clubs doc, sounds like it could develop a nice party atmosphere.

Agree Sarries should be putting their American players in to the media campaign as much as possible. Naming Wyles as captain for the occasion makes perfect sense as well given he's an experienced squad member and the most notable American international they have.

doctor_grey

Be careful, I know a lot of Irish guys who absolutely hate when Americans say Patty's instead of Paddy's. I am not Irish so cannot comment personally but this is what I have been informed of.

Harlequins team
15. Ross Chisholm
14. Charlie Walker
13. George Lowe
12. Harry Sloan
11. Henry Cheeseman
10. Ben Botica
9. Karl Dickson

1. Mark Lambert
2. Dave Ward
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. George Merrick
5. James Horwill©
6. Mat Luamanu
7. Luke Wallace
8. Nick Easter

16. Joe Gray
17. Owen Evans
18. Will Collier
19. Sam Twomey
20. James Chisholm
21. Tito Tebaldi
22. Joe Marchant
23. Ollie Lindsay-Hague

Anyway, yeh I hope it's a great day out for the locals, I know a few guys in the States who would love to go but just don't live near enough for it to be feasible. One of the main problems of making rugby bigger over there will be being able to give everyone access to the best players live.

The NFL is becoming a lot bigger in England and this is definitely helped by the fact that it is reasonably easy to get to the game at Wembley for everyone because Britain is so small in comparison.

Bath Rugby team to face Harlequins:

15 Tom Homer
14 Semesa Rokoduguni
13 Matt Banahan
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Horacio Agulla
10 Ollie Devoto
9 Chris Cook
1 Max Lahiff
2 Rob Webber
3 Henry Thomas
4 Charlie Ewels
5 Dominic Day
6 Matt Garvey
7 Francois Louw (c)
8 Amanaki Mafi

Replacements

16 Tom Dunn
17 Nathan Catt
18 David Wilson
19 Leroy Houston
20 Guy Mercer
21 Jonathan Evans
22 Max Clark
23 Jeff Williams



Bowden and Matawalu out for the season.